Heroes & Villains Film Festival at Brindleyplace 
The Brindley Film Festival returns for its sixth incarnation with a huge screen in Central Square and nine populist films screening over six days. All movies were chosen in an online poll by visitors to The Brindleyplace website from an admittedly slim list, but there are some fun cinematic delights available alongside the usual open air fare of Top Gun, Harry Potter and The Lion King. When the sun’s shining it’s a lovely spot to while away a pleasant few hours. We’re particularly looking forward to seeing John Candy’s Jamaican bobsleigh zero to hero comedy Cool Runnings.
Mon 17 Jul to Sun 23 Jul at Brindleyplace, Birmingham B1 2JF www.brindleyplace.com

Journey Film Club presents Ghost at Birmingham LGBT
No one was more surprised than us when Jerry Zucker, the director behind seminal disaster spoof Airplane, turned out the blockbusting afterlife romance Ghost. The silly plot and incredulous set pieces work through pricking our most fatalistic urges and exploiting them with considerable and imaginative artifice. Patrick Swayze’s mournfully determined Sam Wheat is heroic in his sojourn to protect Demi Moore’s Molly from beyond the grave, but Whoopi Goldberg’s Oscar winning turn as psychic Oda Mae Brown steals the show. Part thriller; part comedy and part religious revelation, as a whole Ghost is a superior romance. Now, get off my train.
Tue 18 Jul 7pm at Birmingham LGBT, 38-40 Holloway Circus, Birmingham B1 1EQ www.journeyfilmclub.co.uk

Ghosts of Dead Airplanes + Exotic Pets + Stinky Wizzleteat + Miles Cocker at The Bull’s Head
Great line up of local bands from The Catapult Club headlined by established local noise merchants Ghost of Dead Airplanes, if you haven’t already got their incredible Delaware EP then pick up a limited edition pink cassette version on the night for a measly five pounds. Also appearing are the lo-fi punkers Exotic Pets, thrash maestros Stinky Wizzleteat and the mysterious Miles Cocker. Four bands + zero cash = unmissable.
Wed 19 Jul 8pm at The Bull’s Head, 23 St Mary’s Row, West Midlands, Birmingham B13 8HW www.facebook.com

Fat Penguin Presents: Glenn Wool & Stuart Black at The Patrick Kavanagh
More high calibre laughs courtesy of those overweight penguins again, how do they do it? Luckily we don’t have to worry about that. Just turn up and expect belly laughs aplenty. Canadian comedian Glenn Wool hides a sharp as a needle eye for contemporary issues behind a hangdog charm, an affable likeability blended with killer punchlines, you may recognise Glenn from appearances on Russell Howard’s Good News. Stuart Black will be previewing Fringe material with his usual darkly askew world view; eloquent, weary and hilarious.
Wed 19 Jul 8pm at The Patrick Kavanagh, 142 Trafalgar Rd, Birmingham B13 8BX www.facebook.com

Exposure | Thu 20 Jul | Centrala | Free (limited tickets)
Verity Sharp hosts the latest event in the BBC Radio 3 series showcasing experimental music up and down the UK, with sets from Gonimoblast, the band of improvising bassist Chris Mapp in partnership tonight with electro-acoustic composer Annie Mahtani, ‘drone doom tuba’ from composer and instrument builder Sam Underwood’s ORE project, and music from alternative five-piece Dorcha, led by composer and songwriter Anna Palmer, one of the artists featured at last month’s Supersonic Festival. Get free tickets here: www.eventbrite.co.uk

Brum Vegan Beer Fest at The Gunmakers Arms
Back for its third year and taking place over three days at the beautifully refurbished Gunmakers Arms, The Brum Vegan Beer Festival is looking better than ever. With ten breweries already signed up and with more to be confirmed your tankards are going to be overflowing with the good stuff. House brewers Two Towers are still our favourites, see if you can sneak a peek at their onsite brewery. The Real Junk Food Project will be weaving their culinary magic on Friday and on Saturday it’s the turn of South African fusion food purveyors Ubuntu.
Thu 20 Jul to Sat 22 Jul at The Gunmakers Arms, 93 Bath St, Birmingham B4 6HG www.facebook.com

Relative Summer Party at The Dark Horse
The Relative crew return to The Dark Horse for an upbeat midsummer party pounding out the finest high end house and techno till the early hours with original resident’s Leon Garcia and Matt Tilley your back to back groove guides. Be warned, when Relative get to work the volume levels reach nerve shredding proportions, just how we like it. You’ll find us with our heads in the bass bins.
Fri 21 Jul 10pm at The Dark Horse, 145 Alcester Rd, Birmingham B13 8JP www.darkhorsemoseley.co.uk

Simmer Down Festival in Handsworth Park
See our full preview here.